1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is directed to an emergency evacuation system, and more particularly, to a readily deployable emergency evacuation slide for use in a staircase of a multi-story building.
2. Background of the Related Art
During an emergency evacuation of a multi-story building, fire exits and stairways tend to become highly congested as large numbers of people attempt to flee the building and reach safety. This congestion tends to increase the evacuation time for the building and often inhibits access to the building by rescue workers.
Recent events, such as the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, exemplify the need for an evacuation system that may be deployed in an existing stairway of a building, which reduces evacuation time by accommodating a rapid decent through the stairways of the building and enables easy access to the building by rescue workers and emergency personnel. Such an evacuation system should be compatible with existing building structures, and should not require extensive modifications to the building. Preferably, when inactive, such a system should not interfere with the normal, everyday function of the staircase and the building in general.
Also during an emergency evacuation of a multi-story building, disabled occupants including those in wheelchairs who are unable to traverse multiple flights of stairs, are often left without an adequate means of rapid escape from the building. It would be beneficial therefore, to provide a system that allows disabled and wheelchair bound people to rapidly evacuate a multi-story building. Such a system, should also allow emergency workers to rapidly evacuate injured occupants, including those who are stretcher bound.
The subject invention is directed to a new and useful system for easily and efficiently evacuating individuals from a multistory building during an emergency. The system is designed to decrease evacuation time, reduce exit and stairway congestion and promote easy access to the building by rescue workers. More particularly, the subject invention is directed to an emergency evacuation slide configured for deployment in a staircase having a flight of stairs which is compatible with existing building structures, does not require extensive modifications to the building, and, when inactive, does not interfere with the normal use of the staircase.
The evacuation slide of the subject invention is defined by an elongated base portion having an inner lateral edge configured for attachment to a sidewall of a staircase and an outer lateral edge extending into the staircase. The slide is adapted for movement from a stowed position in which the base portion is parallel to the side wall of the staircase, to a deployed position in which the base portion is perpendicular to the side wall of the staircase and disposed in a plane extending tangent to the horizontal treads of the stairs.
The emergency evacuation system of the subject invention further includes means for effectuating the movement of the evacuation slide from the stowed position to the deployed position. The means for effectuating the movement of the evacuation slide includes a latch system operatively associated with the sidewall of the staircase. The latch system is adapted for manual actuation or automated actuation. The means for effectuating the movement of the evacuation slide further includes biasing means for biasing the slide into the deployed position.
The emergency evacuation slide of the subject invention further includes a sidewall projecting from the outer lateral edge of the base portion and configured for deployment in a plane extending generally perpendicular to the base portion. The side wall of the slide is hinged to the outer lateral edge of the base portion, and biasing means are preferably provided for biasing the side wall of the slide into a deployed position. Preferably, the base portion of the evacuation slide is defined by a pair of elongated base members that are operatively connected to one another. In one embodiment of the invention, the base members are hinged to one another, and biasing means are provided for biasing the base members into a deployed position.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, an upper inflatable cushion is associated with an upper end portion of the base portion. The upper cushion preferably has an inclined surface that is aligned with the plane of the base portion for easing entry onto the slide. Preferably, the upper cushion is half the width of the base portion to further ease entry onto the slide. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a lower inflatable cushion is associated with a lower end portion of the base portion. The lower cushion preferably has an upper horizontal surface for easing departure from the slide. The slide also includes illuminating means that extend at least partially along the length of the base portion, and fluid dispensing means that extend at least partially along the length of the base portion for wetting the slide.
These and other unique features of the emergency evacuation system of the subject invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of the drawings taken in conjunction with the description of the preferred embodiment.